Mexican army interdicts dope-slinging catapult

The Mexican army has seized a dope-slinging catapult capable of projecting 4.4lb (2kg) bundles of marijuana into Arizona.

US National Guard operatives at the Naco Border Patrol Station alerted the authorities south of the border last Friday after spotting "several people preparing a catapult and launching packages over the International Border fence".

Soldiers moved in and discovered a "three-yard tall catapult ... about 20 yards from the US border on a flatbed towed by a sports utility vehicle".

They impounded the SUV and hash-lobber, along with 35lbs (16kg) of marijuana, although the smugglers had made good their escape.

Back in the States, Tucson sector Border Patrol spokesman David Jimarez told Reuters: "It looks like a medieval catapult that was used back in the day.

"I have not seen anything like that in my time before as a Border Patrol agent, although we are trained to handle any kind of a threat that comes over that border." ®